Applied Rationality focuses on public policy issues and tries to take a liberal perspective that is consistent (comments to the posts will often show otherwise) with neoclassical, rational-choice economics.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Opportunity to act against high-capacity ammunition magazines

The Hill reports that seven Democratic senators have filed an amendment, S.A. 2575, to the proposed Cybersecurity Act that would ban the further sale and transfer of high-capacity ammunition magazines.

The amendment was sponsored by Democratic Sens. Frank Lautenberg (N.J.),
Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Bob Menendez (N.J.), Kirsten
Gillibrand (N.Y.), Schumer and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.). S.A. 2575
would make it illegal to transfer or possess large capacity feeding
devices such as gun magazines, belts, feed stripes and drums of more
than 10 rounds of ammunition with the exception of .22 caliber rim fire
ammunition.

The amendment is identical to a separate bill
sponsored by Lautenberg. Feinstein was the sponsor of the assault
weapons ban, which expired in 2004.

The proposed amendment would only affect sales and transfers after the law took effect.

Dear Senator _____:I urge you to vote in favor of S.A. 2575 which would restrict high-capacity ammunition magazines like those used in the tragic mass murders in Aurora, Tuscon, and Blacksburg. High-capacity magazines serve no legitimate hunting, sporting, or self-defense purpose. Bipartisan legislation restricted these engines of death from 1994 until 2004. Those sensible restrictions should be restored.